Guide mechanism for traveling sheet.



L. B. DOMAN. I GUIDE MECHANISM FOR TRAVELING SHEETS.

APPLIOATION IILED NOV. 10, 1908.

Patnted Nov. 9, 1909.

rrnn earns rarnr LEWIS B. DOMAN, OF ELBRIDGE, NEVT YORK, ASSIGNOR T'.) AMPI-IION PIANO PLAYER COMPANY, OF ELI-BRIDGE, NEVJ YORK, A CORFORATION OF NEW YORK.

GUIDE MECHANISM FOR TRAVELING SHEET Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented new. a, teen.

Application filed lfTovember 10, 1908. Serial No. 461,931.

tion.

This invention relates to certain improvenients in mechanism for maintaining suitable relation between a traveling sheet or web and a tracker bar or'other device across or upon which it is adapted to be drawn, wound or unwound and is specially adapted for maintaining normal operative relationbetween the perforated music sheet and tracker-bar of a self-playing musical instrument whereby the perforations of such music sheet may be kept in exact registration with their corresponding ducts of the 'able the device to be adjusted for effective tracker bar.

The inventionin some respects is similar .to that set forth in my pending application No. 422,970 filed March 24, 1908, in so far as it makes use of a pneumatically. balanced movable member operatively connected to one of the parts between which coiiperative relation is desired to be maintained but which is more specifically adapted for sheets or webs of uniform or standard Width.

One of-the objects of my present invention, as distinguished from that set forth in my pendingapplication referred to, is to encooperation with music sheets of varying widths, that is either wider'or narrower than standard.

Another object is to enable certain portions of the device to be readily adjusted for transposing from one key to another.

Another object is to render the automatic restoration of normal relation between the sheet and tracker bar more responsive to any slight shifting from such normal relation than has heretofore been possible with devices of this character.

Other objects and uses relating to specific parts of the mechanism will be brought out in the following description.

In the draWings Figure l is a front elevation partly in section of aportion of a selfplaying musical instrument showing particularly the tracker bar and automatlc tion referred to is particularly effective in shifting mechanism therefor, the music sheet being shown by dotted lines. Fig. 2 is an enlarged top plan partly in section of the tracker bar and an adjustable valve port showing also the guide fingers for the music sheet. Fig. 3 is an enlarged transverse sectional view taken on line 33; Fig. 1. Fig. i 4: is a topplan of one end of thetracker bar and valveportshown inFig. 2 showing a slightly modified form of guide finger for the music sheet. Fig. 5 is an enlarged sectional view of one of the vent valves in one of the pipe connections between the valved port and pneumatic regulator.

The device shown in my pendingapplicamaintaining normal relation between thetracker bar and music sheets of standardv width but in all such devices in which the sheet or web coacts with ducts in the tracker bar or where the automatlc maintenance of normal relation between the music sheet and tracker bar is dependent upon the'covering or uncovering of certain ducts or ports by thesheet or web, the restoration of relation between the sheet and tracker bar is necessarily slow owing to the fact that it is necessary=for one of the parts to shift relatively to the other practically the full width of the port or ports before the shifting pneumatic 1s energized.-

in my present invention the slightest devi ation of the music sheet or web from its normal line of travel will immediately bring into action the restoring mechanism thereby maintaining a closer normal relation be tween said sheet and tracker bar.

In carrying out the objects statedl make use of a single regulator pneumatic 1 which in this instance is divided into two compartments -2-- and 2- by a central movable partition '4: which is hinged at one edge and is connected by a link 5 to a tracker-bar -6-, the latter being guided in suitable supports 6.

A partial vacuum of equal tension is normally maintained in the compartments or chambers -2 and 2'by connecting said chambers with any suitable exhaust device not necessary to herein illustrate or describe for the reason that these connections may be made directly or indirectly but for the purpose of illustration I have shown the partition 4. as provided with a lengthwise passage T communicating at its inner end through comparatively small apertures 8 with the chambers 2 and 2-, said passage -7 being connected by a pipe 9 to any exhaust chamber in which a partial-vacuum is maintained.

A valve board --10-- is associated with and arranged in close proximity to the tracker bar (3 and is provided with atmosphere ports ll and -1l' which are con nected by conduits l2 and 12 respectively to the chambers or compartments 2 and -2 of the regulator pneumatic lbut-are normally closed to atmosphere by movable valves l l and -ld'-. iThese valves are mounted upon movable guide fingers 15- and -15 which overhang the upper edges of the tracker bar at opposite ends of the series of ducts therein and serve as guides against which the edges of the music sheet or similar traveling web rides during its travel as in playing a musical selection, the distance between thearms corresponding to that of the standard width of music sheet which may be employed. These fingers are preferably tensioned to close the valves 1i and --'ll upon the ports l1 and l.1 by suitable springs -16- and as shown in Fig. 2, said fingers are hinged at their rear ends at 17- tothe opposite ends of the valve shelf 1O ,5 the spring -16 being coiled around, suitable screws -18 which are passed through apertures in the spring fingers -15- and l5- and screwed into the adjacent ends of the shell. 10-' thereby permitting: a slight adjustment of the spring fingers to conform to slightly varying Widths of the same or different music sheets which may he employed, the valves being" made oi slightly compressible material capable of yielding under such adjustment to normally close their respective ports. This adjustment may be materially increased without varying the thickness of the valve by means of the device shown in Fig. l in which valve -1'-l is secured to an arm 19 similar to but somewhat shorter than the finger 15 andto this arm -.'L9 is secured a spring guide finger 20- tensioned toward the arm -19- and having a threaded aperture in which is movable a screw -21--,' the inner end of which abuts against the arm -lS)- so that by turning the screw 2l, the free end of the guide -20- may be moved laterally or lengthwise of the tracker bar (iwithout affecting the position of the arm l9- or valve -1-l carried thereby although the entire guide device including the arm 19 and guide finger 20 is tensioned to close the valve -1l by means of a spring -16- and adjusting screw -18- similar to that shown in Fig.2.

The tracker bar 6- and valve shelf bar will belocked together.

-lG-- are supported independently of and adjustable relatively to each other the purpose of transposing the music sele tion. from one key to another and in order that the operator may intelligently effect this. transposition to the desired key provithe front edge of the shelf with a seri graduations 23- which coact vii pointer -2 lon the tracker bur said being provided with a corresponding number of apertures -26- adapted to receive a locking member or pin -2T-- which in this instance is rigidly secured to the tracker bar so that when entering one 01" the perforations as 26- the valve board and tracker This adjustment of the valve shelf relative to the tracker bar is effected by simply raising the shell out of engagement with the pin 27- and moving it longitud nally until the proper aperture' corresponding with the hey dicated by the graduations -23- and pointer -2el is alined with the pin whereupon the valve shelf is again depressed into interlocking engagement with said pin. 1 preferably provide two sets of apertures 26- and one pin for each end of the valve port and tracker bar although one set of apertures and locking pin would suffice to effect the desired result. In the present instance this'adjustment for transpos tion is eiiected before the music sheet is attached to the winding roller either by shifting the valve board by hand relatively to thetraeker bar or by shii'ting the tracker bar relatively to the valve board, which latteropcration may be efiected by the pneumatic 1'by (s mply opening one or the other of the ducts or conduits -l2- or --l2 to the atmosphere to break the'balance of the movable partition 7-, the direction of movement or" the tracker bar or valve board depending upon whether the'key is to be raised or lowered'from that at which such parts are normally adjusted and under which normal conditions the movable partition,-7 will automat cally restore itself to a position substantially midway between the sides oi the pneumatic, whereas in adjusting the valve board and tracker relatively to each other for transposino, such partition will assume a position to one side of the center according to'the key above or below the norma] key. For example, assume that it is desired to transpose to a key one-halt tone above normal key. then the valve board or other connection carrying the valved ports and elves will be shifted to the right one point as indie: led by the graduaiions 2 -land pointer 24 corresponding to the tance between the ducts of the tracker bar whereupon the music sheet is drawn between the gu de fingers -l5 and attached to the winding roller not shown, so that when the music sheet is straightened, its left hand edge which-n conteot vvith the edjccent mains closed. This shitting of the srtition -.-7- causes a similar shifting movement oi the tracker her and valves connected thereto until the left hand valve is again closed. The partition -7- remains in its shifted position during such adjustment for trans position unlessthe nnniic sheet should deviate from its normal line of travel under which conditions one or the other of the valves -15. or -15? would he opened according to the direction of shift and cause the partition 7- to again slightly shift to restorenormal relation between the music sheet and tracker bar, such relation being automatically maintained in the trensposing adjustment, the same as previously described for normal pitch. Or instead or shifting the valve support relatively to the tracker bar for transposition, the left hand valve may be opened by hand by simply pressing the finger ..against the guide -l5- in which case the pneumatic 7-- will be actuated to shift the tracker her one or more noints so may be desired, it being understood that during such shift of the-tracker her the valve board will simply be elevated out of engagement with the locking" pin -'27-- until the desired adjustment is ei'fecteel whereupon the valve board will be reengs ged with such locking pin to hold the vslve ports end valves in fixed relationto the tracker shift therewith for eutoineticell obtaining-3 normal relation between the trsclr er rear end music sheet,

The same effect as lost described, however, may be produced by providing the ducts -12- and. -122- with suitable selves 28 having finger pieces -29- by which such valves-may be opened to atmosphere sllowing atmospheric air to enter one of she (7l18n1b91S -2- or.--2- thereby causing the notion of the art-ition to shift the tracker bar 111 tie manner previously de scribed. y v v The specific valve loonrdend locking nicens between it and the tracker her are shown only forlthe purpose of illustrating n simple means for carrying out the oogects of my in vention but it is to he understood shot any means whereby the valve ports valves may be locked to shift with the tracker her is within the scope of my present invention the feature of adjustment or the valved ports and valves being merely for transpos- 1 itromone key to another or a l lowering the pitch from nonnatdcsiied.

'lhe principe'l feature of the invention in providing valve ports with movable 7O valves which are connected. to and @p e? to he operated by guide fingers engaging the edges of the sheet and controlling the operstion of a pneumatic by which normal rel-e tion between the tracker her end-music sheet '75 is maintained or restored whensuch relation. is abnormal, as distinguished can ports the tracker her which are normally covered by the Web or music in which latter case any ragged or err edge of such 30 would picnic cent port and co the tracker out o nerr oretions in the ,L device such imperiect e music sheet would *e no eii ect n valve which would reinein closed 7 actually opened by the lateral sh. either the sheet or tracker Thevslves and -29- coin y uncover lsequent sh registration separate manually controlled price *i means :fershir'ting the tracker hel, is 491 instance 5. one key to another end ins located in any convenientoositioi piano case, ore'feraloly the 1 d 5,

directly in front of the i "re Wile?" reedily accessible to the have not is nec I claim is:

The combination with s end trachea her, inovclole relatively to the ovided 'v''li velve ports, valves-i 1O? s "s oper said vol. 1" 113 opposite edges of the sheet, one pneumatic controlled by said Vii*8$ for his ntsining normal r music sheet and t The conqhine; 12o

sheetand tracker ports, opersting inenihe'i. lng opposite edges y n ic controlled by said vslv in normal relation between the end trscker her, and roe ns valve hoard. to the track r be 3. The comhinotion e t 1.' nermai relax on be? flying musing} and tracker 0213? c m'prlsl a -g normally balancd. 12: "ed movable 5 $1021 and controlling 0 the openmed 3901*; mm tilereby caasmg the u HQEhh-fiifilfi L0? 15 inovelrent of tha bar f0? mstmimgg s, 1 m1 mmpmtmams relation beiween the music sheet and an en ua hensiuzn .'s 1101 ally mm, track; bar. each cmn'muzziwtin In'caabiflfi'iwn with 2:, traveling sheet commrtme-ms, Valves 01. Web, a, movable :Zracke bar, a movable 26 member normally baian i under equal 9 11 tensian and 0011552015 9 m0 emem 01" h a *wclzer bar sapurai normally closed air ports nummuaicating with oppss'te si-fl-es of V movable membar, separate defines in- 25 i uding guide fingers movable with me tea: but and engaging' ths edges of the ic sheet earable by he dlsbmbance I "'hG tracker 21116 guide restore 1 0211131 relation between the' music sheet new $3.1 relatifln' between sheet am-"1d .L conmced to the feed to be moved "by i at to 0mm @na 01' 

